Hello everyone, I'm sorry it's taken me a couple of days over a week to upload, but I have a drama performance tomorrow night (which is a practical exam) and with so many rehearsals, and less sleep than normal this week, I have been pretty exhausted. But in anycase, I wasn't going to let my writing be too delayed and so here is the new chapter which follows directly from the last cliffhanger. I hope you enjoy and please review, thankyou!

'Abraham?' she breathed, unable to believe that she was facing the man who saved her once again...

'Okay hold up, you two know each other?' Red asked incredulously

'We've been acquainted yes,' Abe nodded,

'He saved my life...'

'Okay when the hell did this happen?'

'I believe I neglected in telling you and Liz I found this young lady trapped within the building when we were called to investigate two weeks ago,' Abe responded, watching her expression as she then looked back to Hellboy, it being clear to them that she was a little unnerved. Trying to find what to say to them; having been completely unprepared for this situation, Liz suggested they go in the dining room and explain a little about themselves, though Belle was naturally a little hesitant.

'It's okay, we're not gonna hurt ya,' Hellboy assured her, Belle nodding slightly before joining them in the living room and sitting in the same armchair from the night before, finding her book still laid open on armrest.

Sitting with her hands in her lap, Belle had watched the other three, Liz explaining that they had worked for the FI for years. 'We were with the "Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defence," Agent Manning was our boss...'

'Yeah not that he did much,' Hellboy remarked in irritation. 'I take it you've met Manning?'

'He brought me here yesterday...He's an acquaintance of my Father,' she answered softly, her voice quiet as she tried to take everything in. Though for some reason, Belle didn't feel the need to use her telepathy to tell that they weren't going to do her any harm...she trusted that. Though she now questioned what she was in danger from even further with those who had been assigned to protect her.

'Belle I know you must think that this is all very surreal but...'

'No,' she answered looking at them, 'I'm surprised, but...after my last couple of weeks, I'm beginning to understand that everything is far from normal...'

'I know you must find it difficult to think you can trust us, but...'

'I just...I need a bit of time...I think I'm going to just go for a walk,' she remarked standing up, Hellboy, Abe and Liz watching her, Abe seeing Belle's worried thoughts. 'I won't go too far,' she said softly, Liz offering to go with her though Belle politely declined, going out of the front doors and feeling the cold wind blowing against her face, a few strands of her hair that was loose catching in the air as she walked for a little while, trying to take in all that she was experiencing...

'Well that went well,' Hellboy remarked sitting back onto the sofa.

'It was bound to be a shock though when no one told her who she was staying with,' Liz remarked fairly.

'Yeah speaking of not telling people things...' Hellboy then went on glancing to Abe, 'you never told us that you saved the lady from that school.'

'Well I can't say I was expecting to find someone there when we went in. We were told there was no one. But she was so frightened and the entity had been close to her. I felt that I needed to help her.'

'It was good of you to that...but how did you manage to get her out without the FBI seeing her?'

'The apparent hold on the locks freed themselves by the time we'd reached the front entrance, so she was able to get out before we were joined by any FBI agents,' he answered.

'...and you didn't tell us because...?'

'I don't know...I guess it just reminded me of...when I'd helped Princess Nuala. I haven't found myself wanting to talk about it though...it's been in my mind quite enough...' he explained, Hellboy and Liz understanding how hard he was still finding it. Though it was then that he said something which surprised them...

'I think she will stay,' Abe remarked carefully, Red and Liz looking to each other before back to him.

'You read her thoughts?'

'Not in depth, though she is uneasy I think it's because she's uncertain of who she can trust. She had only been told she's in danger, without knowing why or what she's in danger from,' Abe remarked, having gained this quite easily. Being an Empath, Abe sensed just how overwhelmed her feelings were, though he couldn't help but feel something at seeing her there, yet he wasn't sure what.

'I'll go and talk to her,' Red announced standing up,

'Are you sure that's a good idea HB?' Liz asked.

'She's gonna need to know that she's alright if she stays here...and I reckon I could be the only one that she'd doubt...I mean, you're like her, and Abe saved her life...so looks like it's just me who's gotta break the ice,' he said, Liz taking his hand for a moment before watching him leave.

Going out the way Belle had, Hellboy walked around, wondering if she had gone into the back gardens. So going for a look, Hellboy was confident she wouldn't have left and sure enough he found her, sat on the edge of a stone seat, by the roses that grew around the central water feature. Hearing footsteps and glancing up at him, Belle was silent as Hellboy sat beside her.

'Hi,'

'Hello,' she responded,

'Look...you don't need to be afraid you know...though to be honest I'm surprised your reaction was so...'

'Calm...?'

'Well put it this way, you're a hell of a lot calmer than most of the new agents that have met us whilst on the job,' he remarked, Belle smiling slightly. 'Nobody's gonna force you to stay here ya know,' he then continued, Belle now looking up into his golden eyes and seeing nothing that should make her feel intimidated.

'Do you always expect people to run?' she asked softly,

'Depends on the person,' he responded with a slight grin, 'but we will look after you while ya here...we promised we would...and we will.'

'...and I believe that...you've been kind to let me stay...but may I ask why?'

'Well put it this way, Manning wouldn't have let the subject drop if we hadn't, though he must trust you won't make a huge deal out of staying with us to even allow it.'

'Agent Manning said you were a retired team...'

'Yeah, we quit actually, over two months ago. Trust me lady, ya never want to work for the FBI,' he said rolling his eyes. 'Most of them are the stuffy businessman type, unless they work the field a lot.' Unsure of what to say after that, Belle became quiet again, Hellboy's attention being drawn to the dark skies above them... 'Do you wanna go back inside?' he offered, Belle also seeing the dark grey clouds, and thinking for a moment before finally agreeing.

'Good choice...cause I need some lunch...'

'It's still morning...'

'Breakfast then,' he concluded, Belle following him in with a perplexed expression, unable to determine what exactly to expect from them...

'So what's your name kiddo?' Hellboy asked as they walked up the steps and into the main doors of her new home where Abe and Liz were stood talking in the doorway of the living room.

'I'm sorry, I'd forgotten to introduce myself...my name is Belle,' she said softly, Abe looking to her with a studying expression, Belle meeting his eyes, though her gaze dropped as she once again found herself unsure of what to say.

Though Belle wasn't alone with the three of them for long as two black Aston Martin's pulled up outside, Agent Manning getting out of the first with a briefcase in hand....Though as he went to knock on the door, Hellboy opened it expectantly,

'Well she didn't scream if that's what you wanted to know,' he said, Manning telling him to move aside prompting Hellboy to stand more in the frame of the doors. 'What?' he said folding his arms as Manning sighed heavily

'Fine, may I come in?' he said impatiently, Hellboy clearly satisfied as he stood aside. Though coming into the hallway, Manning saw Belle emerge from the living room, watching him with an unreadable expression.

'Miss. Lucivia...'

'Does my Father know about all this?' Belle asked, clearly unimpressed at the lack of information she and her parents had been given.

'You don't understand Miss. Lucivia; the FBI is a secretive organisation. Harold knew that when he agreed to let you reside here.'

'...and you couldn't tell me?'

'Would you have believed me?' he countered,

'Yes,' she responded honestly, knowing that her instinct was never wrong...especially when telling whether someone was being truthful or not. 'Listen I don't mean to make a fuss I just don't understand why you left it until I met them to see how I reacted...it just wasn't right...'

'Well now that you've seen the FBI's most high profiling secret, it's important that we inform you of the rules you will need to follow. Though I doubt you'll have any problem with them.'

'Rules?' Liz remarked with a frown, 'like what?'

'Like she mustn't tell anyone who she's staying with because if this gets out...'

'It already has, and what do you expect her to say when she's questioned by her family?'

'We have profiles of two alternative agents that she can say she is being watched over by.'

'You want me to lie to my parents?' Belle said, not believing what she was being told as Manning nodded brusquely as he looked through some papers. 'But...they should know I mean they are the ones who wanted me to be protected...my Father came to you for help...'

'...and they would appreciate that keeping you safe is a priority. So in order to help that, keeping everyone as clueless as possible will help. So that will mean you cannot say anything of this to any of your friends, associates...We also wouldn't advise you seeing your parents on a frequent basis.'

'I understand that...but you don't mean that I can't see them at all...I mean Christmas is soon and...'

'Miss. Lucivia please trust in us...'

'Heh, I wouldn't,' Hellboy remarked with some sarcasm, Manning turning to him with an irritated expression. 'Are you trying to push me into early retirement?'

'Well it hasn't worked so far,' he said, 'don't you think you're scaring the lady?'

'I wouldn't have thought it was me that would have done that,' Manning said testily, when Belle said calmly,

'You trust them though.'

As Manning glanced to her, Belle was aware that she was being watched by Liz, Hellboy and Abe too, Abe sensing that she also felt she could somehow trust them...whether it was because she felt he'd saved her life, Abe wasn't sure. But he gave her an assurance that allowed her to relax even further. 'Agent Manning...if I may...this has been a long morning for Belle...' he remarked, Belle looking to him as he suggested, 'it may be best if you simply allow us to explain this. I'm quite sure Belle understands that certain things will have to remain quiet in order to keep her location as safe as possible...but you must also understand that this is not something of ease for her.' Looking from Abe to Belle, Manning seemed to think for a moment before saying finally.

'Are you alright staying here?' Pondering this question for a moment, Belle didn't have to look at the others to know what she was going to say.

'Yes...I am,' she replied, Manning nodding and handing her a card.

'Call if you require anything...you will be collected tomorrow morning for your lessons, we do have your schedule listed, but if anything should change let us know.'

'I will, thankyou,' Belle said graciously, Manning then proceeding to leave, following a large hint dropped by Hellboy, reminding the agent that he wasn't completely welcome there.

'Miss. Lucivia,' another Agent then said coming forwards before Manning left. 'We wondered whether we would be able to fit a tracker to your car...so that when you do start driving yourself we will be able to keep a track on your location if need be.'

'Please may I have a little time to consider...I'm not too certain about that...' Belle said admittedly, the Agent nodding in complete understanding.

'Of course Miss. Lucivia,'

'You can call me Belle,' she then said, not used to so many referring to her in such a formal way. Yet it had been after the FBI had left, and Hellboy had gone to cook something to eat that Abe had disappeared, not showing himself again for most of that day, though by the evening before going to bed Belle had asked Liz something, having considered it during the afternoon.

'Liz?'

'Yes,' she responded looking up from her book that she was reading,

'Do you know where Abraham is?'

'Yeah, he'll in his room; it's just next to yours...the middle door. He won't mind you going in.'

'Thankyou,' she smiled gratefully, 'and thankyou for what you've done again in letting me stay here.'

'It's alright,' Liz responded, surprised at how gracious Belle was. Though it was clear that she had been brought up in a fairly high class family, Belle was very polite and well spoken. 'I'll probably be up in the morning, but if not I'm sure the FBI will be on time in collecting you.'

'Yes...well goodnight,' she said, leaving the living room and walking down towards her bedroom, though she took note of the door beside it...Abe's room. Though closing her hand in gently Belle had gone to tap on the door when she withdrew her it, sighing to herself slightly and walking to her own room, going inside and sitting on the bed...

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~

It was a few hours on and as Abe looked over his bookshelves late that night, he heard music drifting through from Belle's room...classical...and playing softly, Abe trying to decide what the piece was...though he couldn't quite tell. Yet the music seemed so calming to him...so peaceful, that as he set up his books and got into his tank, he could still here the gentle piano melody even though the tank now blocked out the sound. Abe had been surprised in meeting her again, her name running through his mind...Belle...he thought calmly, picturing her expression when she had seen him again and wondering just how someone who appeared so innocent, deserved to be in the danger she was...

So Belle has agreed to stay, but what will her first few weeks with the team bring, and how will she bond with Hellboy, Abe and Liz? All to come in the next few chapters :)

I will be updating again soon, please review, and goodnight!

~x-xMasqueradeAngelx-x